


Things Will Never Be The Same

by cress26



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: Comfort/Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Lizzington - Freeform, Vulnerable Red
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-17
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-04-04 20:12:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4151298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cress26/pseuds/cress26
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post 2.22. Set directly after the white van scene. Red and Lizzie on the run. More truths will be revealed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things Will Never Be The Same

**Author's Note:**

> First Lizzington-Fic. Huge thank you to my beta-reader thefirstfewchapters for all her encouragement to finish this story and for all her help with words, grammar and tense. :)

Part 1. 

“I slept with Tom last night and was ready to go away with him.”

They had switched cars a third time by now. All the airports were heavily guarded, so Red thought it would be wise to get as far away as possible from Washington, before they took a plane to leave the country.   
Red had been awfully quiet ever since he had picked her up. The day he had feared most had finally arrived. The day Liz would find out the truth. All his extensive efforts to keep it from her had failed miserably. All he had ever wanted was to protect her, at all costs, to spare her this kind of pain and yet here they were.  
His failure overwhelmed him. He couldn’t hide the devastated expression which just wouldn’t leave his face and, if it was even possible, grew even sadder at her words.   
Liz had never seen such an extreme display of emotions from him before, it scared the hell out her and yet, at the same time, she longed for him to show her more just like that. The knowledge and reassurance it provided, about just how much he really cared for her, was her only lifesaver at this point. 

“Why didn’t you?"

He couldn’t keep the tremor out of his voice and he avoided looking at her.

“When I found out that Cooper’s cancer diagnosis was a set-up, I had to tell him and so I left Tom.”

Red just nodded but still avoided looking at her. He didn’t want to know, really. For the rest of the ride neither of them spoke. Liz was exhausted, but didn't dare nap on Red's shoulder again.

They arrived at the twelve roomed solitary mansion late in the evening. Red made a few phone calls and Liz was amazed by his network and the resources he could pull out of nowhere. Within the hour a courier brought them food, clothes, foreign currency bills, fake credit cards and even new identity papers for Liz. Two armed men arrived to secure the perimeter. Only then did Red seem to relax a bit, but the devastated expression still wouldn't leave his face.

Liz felt unbelievably sick and guilty. Watching Red moving heaven and hell just for her protection was overwhelming. No one ever did such things for her. When she thought she would suffocate from thinking about the impact of his actions, she went to talk to him.  
She found him sitting on the couch in the main living room, studying several papers. He looked like hell, glassy eyed and pale, he coughed and was clearly in pain. It was a little over a week since he had been shot and he was still recovering, and days like today clearly wouldn't help that.

"Red …”

“Lizzie …”

He looked at her and tried a weak smile. She immediately knelt down in front of him and took his hand.

“Where’s your medicine, Red? Have you taken anything at all today?”

“No, my main concern today was you.”

He closed his eyes when her small hand came up to his face and rested on his forehead. 

“You’re running a light fever too, where’s your medicine?”

Her hand lingered when she watched how he seemed to absorb her touch and to seek comfort from it, which allowed her to see just how vulnerable he could be. It tore at her heart, she had had no idea just how much he obviously needed her too. 

“It’s in my briefcase.”

“I’ll get it for you.”

She got up but he didn’t let go of her hand just yet.

“I need to change the bandages too.”

“Let me get everything, ok?”

She quickly gathered the things he needed. She finally had a task, as small as it was, but a way she actually could do something, to make him see that she cared about him as well, that she didn’t take everything he did for her for granted. However, the uneasy feeling just wouldn’t leave her and it became harder to ignore with each passing minute.

When she got back, he had removed his vest, his tie, had unbuttoned his shirt and was fumbling with the bandage around his chest. She knelt back down in front of him and gave him the antibiotics and painkiller pills with some water first. Only then did she reach for his shirt to help him remove it. All the time he just looked at her, watching her work. She barely had time to notice how he suddenly stiffened and braced himself, when she pulled the shirt down over his shoulders and arms. A choking sob escaped her mouth when she saw the terribly scarred skin that covered most of his left shoulder and back. And on top of that, the bandage came loose to reveal the angry entry wound from the shooting. 

That’s when Liz completely lost it. Hot tears ran down her face unchecked. Her entire body trembled in unimaginable despair and she broke down at his feet. It took all his strength to pick her up from the floor and let her rest in his arms on the couch beside him. 

“Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry. That’s way too much for you to process in just one day.”

He let her cry against him, he thought it would be better for her to let it all out, he had witnessed all day long how she had desperately tried to hold everything together. So he just held her close and soothingly caressed her back. Watching her cry so hard wasn’t easy for him, he never wanted any of this to happen to her, his failures were omnipresent yet again.

It took a long time for Liz to calm down. When she felt strong enough, she looked up and found his worried green eyes gazing at her.

"Red, I need you to understand that I feel so horrible, and not because I shot Connolly, but because of the way I’ve treated you all these months. I've been so angry and frustrated with you. I refused to see that you cared. I never understood your silence or why you tried so hard to hide the truth. So, when Tom offered his help and comfort, I took it. I felt so lonely and all I wanted was to forget, to let go of my pain, confusion and questions; just for once. But now that I remember, I realize how wrong I've been, about everything, and I'm endlessly sorry.”

Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks and he tenderly wiped them away with his thumb.

"You don't have to justify your actions to me, Lizzie."

“I’m sorry I ever doubted you cared for me, when in fact you walked through hell for me so many times.”

His painful expression was right back in place at this, his voice rough and strained.

“All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, to have a normal life for as long as possible, Lizzie. I knew your past and my actions would eventually catch up with you. But not like this, you were never supposed to have to walk this dark path. But the more I tried to keep you from it, the more you ended up on it anyway. So it’s all my fault, including Tom.“

“God, this is a mess, Red.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Let’s get you patched up.”

She needed to do something to help pull her out of her misery again, any distraction was welcome. So Liz took the antiseptic lotion and carefully applied it on his wound. She secretly enjoyed the feel of his chest hair against her fingers, before she took a fresh bandage, wrapped it around him and pulled his shirt back on. Yes, touching him was certainly distraction enough. 

“Tell me about the scars …”

“No Lizzie, it’s enough for today.”

“There’s more to come?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so.”

She sighed and looked stricken.

“Why don’t you try to get some rest for now. There are four bedrooms to choose from.”

“I would rather stay with you here on the couch, Red.”

“Sure, come here.”

They curled up against each other then. Liz couldn’t believe that he didn’t show any reservations with her massive need for physical contact. On the contrary, he seemed to require it just as much as she did. She knew she probably shouldn’t enjoy it so much, but somehow his unguarded emotional state gave her more strength and sanity than she thought possible. Her high- functioning sociopath had turned out to be a loving caring man after all and it took her breath away.

Having the woman he loved so much in his arms, meant that Red finally felt all the tension and pain leave his body; or maybe it was the effects of the painkillers? All these months they had been on such bad terms, he had hated it so much; to have to hurt her all the time in order to keep his secrets from her had just pulled his heart into little pieces. He knew he shouldn’t feel this deeply for her, that he should detach himself from her side right now, but he just couldn’t resist; he might never get the chance of having her so close ever again. So he took whatever she had to offer and stored it away for eternity. 

“Where is this all going to end, Red?”

Her question pierced the comfortable silence and it was the question he had dreaded the most.

“That’s entirely up to you, Lizzie.”

He hesitated a moment in order to gather his strength to say the following words; they were the hardest words he had ever had to say.

“If you decide to leave, pick a country where you want to live. I can provide you with a new identity and hide you there forever. You can start over, I’ll be out of your life and you’ll never have to look back.”

She sat up and looked at him, somewhat appalled and indignant. 

“That’s not what I want! Not at all! That thought hasn’t even crossed my mind.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I want to help you bring down the Cabal!”

“Lizzie…”

“No Red, that option isn’t even open for discussion.”

“Keep in mind that we may never manage to clear your name. We may prove eventually that you didn’t bomb the Orea building, but you did shoot Connolly.”

“He deserved to die!”

Red had to laugh at this. He was just endlessly relieved and pleased that she wanted to stay.

“You’ve clearly spent way too much time with me, Lizzie, if you’re saying things like that.” 

She joined in his laughter. 

“Donald will make it his life’s mission to bring us down.”

“He’ll never get us, Lizzie.”

“So, we’re on the run together?”

“It would seem so, yes.”

They smiled at each other and the deal was sealed. She lay back down next to him and turned onto her side to face him.

“Why do you do all this for me, Red? Why have you dedicated your life to my protection? What am I to you?”

Liz suddenly looked serious; would he tell her? Would he be as honest about this subject as he had been with her about others today? 

“A soldier walked across a battlefield. There was destruction, death, blood, ashes and smoke everywhere in his path. He had fought this war for so many years now that the horrors of his surroundings didn’t even touch him anymore. He had lost so much, his happy life, his family, everything he held dear. All gone. Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks and looked down. A single white flower had managed to withstand the immense devastation of the area. He picked it up and took it home, nourished it for many days and before it could wither, he dried it to preserve it. He delighted in its beauty and somehow just looking at the flower would lighten his mood, ease his pain and give him hope. Hope that maybe one day the war would be over and his world would be filled with security, warmth and even love again.”

His voice rumbled through her, his words heavy and momentous, his eyes never left hers. He had told her several of these little stories before, but none of them had quite reached her, the implications of what he said had never been as clear as they were right now. 

“Lizzie, you’re my white flower…”

The sincerity in his eyes and in his voice cut down right into her heart.  
For a moment she forgot to breathe, she just stared at him and Red knew it was now or never. Caressing her face with just his fingertips, he slowly and carefully closed the last remaining distance between them. If she didn’t want any of this, now would be the time for her to back out.   
But she didn’t. And so his lips met hers, light, sweet and endearing. He grazed her lips softly and slowly applied some more pressure. For a moment they were frozen in time, until she gradually welcomed and finally responded to his ministrations. Her hands wrapped around his neck to pull him closer and their kiss deepened, but not wanting to ask too much of her too quickly, he reluctantly pulled away and just smiled down at her.

What she had suspected for so long, but had denied to herself over and over again, now ultimately had been proved to be true: Red harbored deep feelings for her which went beyond care and protection. And she? How long had she been denying the fact that she was in love with him?   
Far too long. 

She snuggled up against his chest, careful not to hurt him and, with a contented sigh, she closed her eyes. Red held her gently, tiredness about to overpower him due to both his medicine and the amazingly incredible life-changing events of the day. 

It may have started out disastrously but everything had changed. Most certainly for the better.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 2:

“This shouldn’t feel like vacation.“

They had left US soil undetected. Dembe had fooled the FBI and the Cabal in equal measure with public appearances, as no one would ever consider that Red and Dembe would separate for exactly this purpose. It was a clever move and worked well.

They had travelled to Europe and spent three days each time in Bordeaux, Sevilla, Zagreb, Hamburg and Belfast. Red met with business partners in each city and planned their next destinations.

Liz struggled to cope with this new life and even though Red liked to take full responsibility for this, she knew it wasn’t his fault.  
He tried to lessen her painful burden in every possible way, he asked her out for dinner, cooked himself, or spoiled her with culinary delights. He bought her gifts, took her to museums or the theatre. He would do anything to make her feel better. Under cover of darkness, he even took her out on romantic sight-seeing tours around the cities, anything to distract her and convince her that being on the run wasn’t such a bad thing after all, but it all felt far too much for her: all the money Red spent on her made her uncomfortable, because she would never be able to make it up to him. 

“Don’t you think you deserve some rest after getting none for almost two years because of all the cases I kept you busy with?”

“Sure. But I need to do something. I can’t just sit here and let you spoil me rotten.” 

Red laughed wholeheartedly.

“It’s hardly enough after all I’ve put you through.”

“Red, I’m serious. Isn’t there anything I can do? I could help with your business. Make phone calls, write emails?”

Red looked surprised, considered this offer carefully for a while, then nodded.

“All right, I could use some help.”

They sat down and he mapped out a general overview on some pieces of paper. Liz was astonished how he seemed to have his fingers in so many pies. Apparently he made millions in arms trading, stock dealing, foreign property markets and energy trades, plus indulging in the usual crimes of drug trafficking, blackmailing and spying. He must be unimaginable rich and Liz wondered why he hadn’t left everything behind and dropped out ages ago. Much to her surprise though, he also spent lots of money on charities, particularly those connected to children, animals and medical research.   
She was touched at how much it showed he trusted her by sharing all this information with her, the FBI had never managed to explore his business dealings adequately. 

It had been two weeks since their first kiss and except for kissing some more they hadn’t taken any steps to become more intimate. Red didn’t want to push her, mainly because even if she was all over him most of the time, he suspected she was exceptionally confused and distressed about discovering the details related to the killing of her own father and also that she was still dealing with her actions with Tom. She put on a brave face during the day, but nightmares would come every night and more than anything else she needed him just for comfort. 

Liz, on the other hand, felt his silent reserve, she sensed he was struggling with quite a few issues and worried about why he just couldn’t muster up the courage to talk to her. Anger had made it easier in the past to suppress her feelings for Red and to turn back to Tom. But now that this anger had gone completely, her feelings for Red bubbled up to the surface unchecked, and Tom felt like a huge mistake. 

Each time, Red chose safe houses with the largest couch because Liz still seemed to draw comfort from his being there with her and so they would talk, laugh, sometimes drink late into the night, and wake most mornings still side by side having fallen asleep comforted by the other's presence. Liz continued to take care of his wound and she was happy that he was almost fully healed.

The open fireplace in the living room of the present safe house was certainly the centerpiece of the entire room. It had been a cold and rainy day and Red suggested they use it. 

“Want me to light the fireplace tonight? There are logs outside in the shed.”

Liz looked at him, sighed and hesitated with her answer.

“I’m not sure. Even now, fire inside a house makes me quite uneasy.”

He looked at her apologetically.

“Oh, of course Lizzie, I’m sorry, how could I forget?”

She gave him a half smile and tried to stop him feeling sorry for her.  
“No, let's make use of the fireplace. And ... I feel safe with you around. So, I'm sure everything will be okay.”

“Why don’t you go and pour us some of the wine I bought earlier, while I take care of the fireplace?”

Liz smiled.

We also have ice cream. I found it in the freezer box earlier. Want some?”

“Love to!”

She went into the kitchen and opened the bottle of wine, grabbed glasses, spoons and the ice cream from the fridge, and carried it all back into the living room.

Red was knelt in front of the fireplace with the fire irons in his hands, the logs already burning nicely, creating a warm and relaxing ambience. He had taken off his tie and had loosened the first button of his shirt, the sleeves were rolled up. Liz swallowed hard at the sight, he looked so handsome again tonight and she felt incredibly attracted to him, her uneasiness about the fire completely forgotten. 

He got up, smiling when he saw Liz enter the room, and put away the fire irons. He met her halfway and cheekily snatched the ice cream and spoons away from her hands, looking smug.

“Ahhh, Stracciatella is my favorite and I’ll have it all to myself. Dembe never leaves me anything!”

Liz couldn’t stop smiling at him. She loved to see him in this light-hearted mood. He sat down on the couch in front of the fireplace, took a spoon and opened the ice cream. With obvious pleasure, he scooped the ice cream into his mouth, over and over, eyes closed.   
Liz laughed and sat down on the couch besides him, watching how he truly enjoyed every bit. 

“Care to share?”

“Mmmh, no. This tongue-orgasm is just for me.”

Liz pouted playfully to which Red opened his eyes again, chuckling. He loved to tease her.

“Okay. Do you want a taste?”

“Of course!”

Red smirked and his eyes sparkled with boldness.

“Okay, but you have to close your eyes.”

“What?”

“Close your eyes, Lizzie ... please.”

His voice was only a whisper now and she obeyed instantly, closing her eyes. Anticipation crawled up inside her. What was he going to do?

“Now, open your mouth.” 

She could feel the cold spoon grazing her lips, seeking entry to her mouth. She closed her lips around it, the knowledge that she was eating from the same spoon he had just used himself gave her additional thrills.

“Do you know the ‘Ode to Ice Cream’ by Lacey B.?”

Liz shook her head and Red started to recite a poem in his typical manner, while he kept feeding her more ice cream. She held her eyes shut tightly.

“Oh wonderful ice cream  
an icy delight  
It's a fanciful dream  
that has come to its height

I feel so excited  
as I shove in my spoon   
My face is alighted  
I think I might swoon

It travels so easily  
heading to my waiting mouth  
I devour it quite quickly  
Then again the spoon heads south

An amazing experience,  
eating this treat  
I lick up the remnants  
Ice cream can't be beat!”

The following pause prompted Liz to open her eyes. He had put the spoon and ice cream aside and she found him staring at her insistently. Somehow he had moved closer to her, invading her space, their knees touching. Liz swallowed, holding her breath and stared back at him.   
He then moistened the tip of his index finger with his tongue and slowly and shakily the finger reached out to the corner of her mouth, tenderly wiping away some stray remnant of the ice cream. 

It was his turn to close his eyes and inhale sharply, when Liz captured the finger between her lips and sucked it into her mouth.   
When he opened his eyes again, they had turned dark with desire and need, clearly displaying the depths of emotion he felt for her.   
He pulled his finger out of her mouth carefully and Liz watched him fascinated as he closed the last remaining distance between them.

Suddenly a loud crack erupted from the fireplace. The logs collapsed into each other, the flames flared and hissed. Instinctively Liz leapt to her feet horror-stricken, wanting to flee, but Red was right there, pulling her into his arms and holding her tight. She shook violently and uncontrollably in fear and it took all her strength not to cry. 

“Ssshhh, sweetheart … it’s okay, I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”

Somehow the entire situation felt awfully familiar, his movements, his words. Liz stilled when she suddenly realized that this had indeed happened before. During the night of the fire. She looked up at him and saw the same horror in his eyes. Utterly shocked, she finally understood. This was another memory invading her mind.

“It was you …you were the one who pulled me from the fire, not my father? ...”

The words staggered out of her mouth.

“Yes.”

“Your scars ...?”

She remembered the horrible mess of skin she had seen while tending his wound.

“Lizzie …”

“Tell me, tell me everything … please! I need to know.”

He sighed. This was going to be painful again.

“Yes, I know you do, but let’s sit down again first.”

She obeyed but became slightly nervous when he put some distance between them as they sat on the couch. 

“We decided to cover the death of your father by burning down the house.”

He paused to let this information sink in. Liz stared at him, shocked.

“Back then I didn’t have a Mr. Kaplan. You had run away and your mother went looking for you. Everything happened so fast, in the blink of an eye the entire house was in flames. That’s when I heard you scream and I went back inside without hesitation. I don’t know why your mother never found you, or why my associates suddenly were all gone.

“I found you hiding in the closet and pulled you out. It was hot as hell and there was so much fire and smoke everywhere. I carried you in my arms and covered you as best as I could, but you wouldn’t stop screaming. When we reached the entrance hall, the door, the windows, everything was burning; there wasn’t a way out anymore. So I used my body, my back to be exact, to push through the burning door. It took several attempts, with you in my arms; I didn’t quite have the momentum I needed. We made it out and by the time we reached the front garden, my coat was engulfed in flames as well. I sank to my knees and managed to put you down before the flames could burn you too. I was running on adrenalin so much that I didn’t notice any pain, not until you suddenly pushed me to the ground with all your strength. That’s when you burnt your wrist on my coat. I fell on my back, right into the snow, which extinguished the flames immediately. Only then did you stop screaming.”

The horrified look on Liz’s face made Red pause for a moment again. Tears were forming in her eyes and threatened to spill down her cheeks. 

“A brave taxi driver took us all the way through the night to Sam and I collapsed right on his doorstep. I was unconscious for the next two days and Sam tried to treat me as best as he could. Because of my condition, he knew something terrible had gone wrong and that it clearly included you. So he paid a doctor for his services and his silence.

“The entire time you lay curled up against me, just like you do now every night since we’ve been on the run. You wouldn’t leave my side for a second. You didn’t eat or sleep properly. You just watched over me and looked at me with your clear blue eyes and I drew out all the strength from them I needed to survive.

“The same people who had ordered me to obtain the fulcrum from your father framed me for the deaths of both your parents, saying that I had started the fire. The Cabal had forced them to turn against me.

“Also, they had told your mother you and I had died in the fire, but before I was well enough to find her and reach out to her, she committed suicide in an act of utter desperation.”

Liz couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. 

“It was then I decided that it would be better for you if I erased your memory of your parents, the night of the fire and, most especially, of me. I wanted you to have a better life from that point forward. I thought it was for your own good.

“After the procedure you didn’t recognize me anymore and I used this "rejection" to leave. I hid the fulcrum in your stuffed bunny. Sam took care of you while I just watched from afar and provided enough money to give you a contented life.

“In all these years, whenever I was captured, tortured or facing death, I would remember your eyes and your small frame sleeping beside me and the fact that you refused to leave me. It always helped me survive.”

“Yaabari… I heard you say my name when he tried to shoot you.”

Red looked down, sad and defeated.

“Yes. The Cabal pulled every possible string and my career was over. Authorities took away Carla and Jennifer and started hunting me. It took me a year to find out they were still alive and in witness protection. I was forced to become a criminal in order to survive. Eventually I learned that making the Cabal believe I had the fulcrum would keep them off my back.

“I did what I thought was right back then. You were an innocent bystander and all I ever wanted was to protect you from all of this.   
It breaks my heart to make you cry over the truth. This, here with you now, on the run, is more than I can take, it was never supposed to happen. I took your entire life away twice and I can’t handle a third time. I have failed you so many times and you deserve so much better, Lizzie.”

Liz wiped her tears away and closed the distance between them and took his hands into hers to make him look at her. 

“That’s where you’re wrong. You’ve saved my life countless times; look at me, I’m alive and well and I have you!

“I was always instinctively drawn to you, right from the beginning and I couldn’t figure out why. There was always a yearning I didn’t understand, I always felt I needed to seek you out for comfort, even though you were the one who seemed to have brought the worst on me in the first place. These feelings were so confusing and I fought them so very much and that’s why I kept up my relationship with Tom, because that was something I understood, that I had control over. But ever since the day in the hospital, when I was infected with that deadly plague and you were sitting by my bed for hours, holding my hand, playing me music, the look of worry in your eyes … all that touched me very deeply and I realized that it was all real, that it wasn’t one of your games anymore. I’ve been in love with you since that day, Red. I tried very hard to ignore it, because it scared the hell out of me. It was always easier for me to fight it and deny it.”

Her shivering hand reached up to cup his face, caressing it softly when a single tear escaped his eyes. 

“How could you stand me being so ungrateful, so mean and angry?”

“I thought it would be the lesser evil if you were upset with me and not about your past or the truth.”

The full intensity of his suffering hit her when she captured more tears with her thumb. He had let all his guards down for her and seeing him so vulnerable broke her heart. She pulled him closer until their foreheads touched; all the while, her fingers brushed through his hair, running up and down his neck and gently kneading his shoulders. She felt him trembling, fighting hard to regain control. 

The awareness of just how closely they held each other hit them both at the same time. They had each closed their eyes, their breath had mingled, their hearts were beating fast. Looking for any sign of refusal, she slowly and carefully searched his mouth for a kiss. When he responded, her tongue gently parted his lips, seeking entry and both moaned as their tongues danced in perfect unison, but Red soon moved away again. 

“I need you to be sure about this, Lizzie. Don’t do this because you feel guilty or obligated to make it up to me somehow, or because you feel you have to repay me this way for keeping you safe and well.”

“The Cabal ruled our lives for far too long. I don’t care if it takes years, but we’ll fight them, Red, together! We’re equal in this and we’re destined to be together; we share the exact same fate and we've saved each other’s lives so many times. There is nothing in this world I deserve more ... I deserve you, Red. I love you and I want you so very much.”

It was all the confirmation he needed. Red drew her as close as he could get her. He crushed his lips to hers for another kiss and it shattered his resistance completely.

Lying down on the couch, their hands started to explore each other. He touched and kissed her face, her neck, then gently and easily opened her blouse, button by button, revealing more skin that he could caress. His gentleness and passion overwhelmed her, and arousal spiraled through her, pushing at her control. She wanted to tear his clothes off, but with great effort she resisted. She wanted this to be slow and tender, and yet the need to feel more of him grew with each passing minute, especially when she felt his hard and throbbing erection pressed against her abdomen. When he opened his mouth over her nipples through the silk of her black bra and teased them into tight peaks, she moaned and could barely contain her desire. Sensing and feeling her struggle he pulled back and looked at her, his gaze so piercing and incisive it touched her soul, sending messages of promise and preparing her for the things to come. 

“I need more, please, Red!”

"I am all yours. Tell me what you want me to do."

“Touch me …”

But he hesitated yet again. 

“If you’re worried about protection, I had my last birth control shot two months ago, so I’m good for at least another one.”

Red smiled in relief.

“Then let me make love to you.”

He kissed her while his fingers skillfully unclipped her bra and removed it. Then his fingers travelled down and opened her pants and gently pushed them down over her hips along with her panties. Not wasting any more time, she took his hand and positioned it where she needed him most.  
His fingers immediately caressed her folds and he let them linger in her growing wetness, while his thumb circled around her aching clit. Liz took a rough intake of breath when he placed two of his long fingers directly at her opening and let them slip deep inside; he eased them in and then out again, and then back in once again. She closed her eyes and began to rock her hips until she matched his rhythm; amazingly strong sensations were gradually building inside her, where his hand was manipulating her. 

But it wasn’t enough, she wanted so much more of him. She searched for his eyes and met them. He smiled at her, his eyes shining with obvious desire and lust, surrendering to the passionate blue of hers.  
Suddenly impatient, she ripped open his shirt and her hands went straight down to his pants and belt, hastily undoing them both. She pulled his pants and boxer shorts down, just far enough to free him and swung herself over him, seductively rubbing herself against him. Placing both her hands on his chest for support, she looked down at him, as if asking for permission. 

“There will be time for sweet slow and gentle lovemaking for the rest of our lives, but right now I simply need you, Red.”

He groaned and barely managed to speak.

“Ride me, Lizzie!”

Rocking her hips down onto him, she could feel the fat tip parting her folds, followed by the long thick veined shaft which slid into her in a slow and almost unbearable motion. His hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her down, urging her body to take all of him, stretching her to the limits. Her head tilted back in ecstasy when she had accepted all of him. 

“That’s it. Now show me how you like it.”

His fingers traced paths up and down her spine, making her shiver.  
She started to move over him and they both groaned in pleasure from the physical sensation of his penetration and the intense and overwhelming friction. 

“God, you feel so good, Red.”

His hips rose up to meet her strokes. He bit his lip, watching her expression was almost better than the waves of pleasure coursing through his own body. He had never seen anything sexier in his life.  
She thrust downwards harder, faster and deeper, as she felt her climax building deep inside her. Her inner muscles squeezed him almost painfully and she spiraled towards completion.

“Come for me, Lizzie … let me hear you let go.” 

Every cell in her body exploded in pulsating rapture, making her shudder violently and cry out in pure ecstasy. It shook her with an intensity she had never known, and all her remaining walls of doubt, fear, anger and pain ripped apart for good. Everything just felt so incredibly right.

Seeing and feeling her explosion, he struggled not to follow her over the edge. He wanted these feelings to last as long as possible, but it was useless. He joined her in her release, spilling his seed deep inside her with a loud roar. She collapsed against his chest, unable to move. He had no strength to move or lift her, so remaining inside her, he just wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, enjoying the feeling of her body against his, her breasts pressed against his chest, her heavy breathing against his throat and indulged himself in their continued intimate connection.

There it was, his second chance, at last. He hadn’t felt this complete and at peace for the last 20 years. The Cabal better prepare themselves, because things would not be the same from this point forward.

The end


End file.
